HAMRUN SPARTANS-   0

FLORIANA-                      2

Hamrun S: A. Cassar, A. Ivanov, A. Yoshev, R. Fenech, A. Vergilov, D. Zerafa (G. Azzopardi),  M. Grima, D. Camilleri (C. Cassar), N. Bozhov, (L. Grech), R. Spiteri, T. Vella

Floriana: T. Warner, K. Farrugia, T. Cilia (J. Borg), S. Borg, H. Celestino, A. Verma, M. Spiteri , C. Borg (F. Guzman), I. Coronado (S. Wasiu), D. Pisani, R. Darmanin

Referee:   M. Spiteri

Asst.refs:  W. Debattista, E. Grech

4th official: A. Arciola

Scorers: M. Spiteri 36, R. Darmanin 87

Yellow cards: C. Borg, A. Ivanov

Player of the match: I. Coronado (Floriana)

TMI top 3:  1.I. Coronado  2. M. Spiteri  3. A. Cassar

Attendance: 602

Floriana followed up last week’s win against Sliema Wanderers with another accomplished performance against Hamrun Spartans yetserday. Two consecutive wins and two clean sheets now lift the Greens above Hamrun in ninth place as they mount a challenge for a top-six finish.

Floriana showed more attacking intent and were mercilessly superior once they had taken the lead after 36 minutes.

Most of Floriana’s damage came from the flanks, with Igor Coronado and Mark Spiteri being a constant nuisance to Hamrun’s Bulgarian wide backs Ivanov and Yoshev.

Hamrun have now conceded four defeats on the trot and look uncapable of lifting the gloom which has settled into the side recently. Desperate defending and toothless forward play was once again evident as the team looks short of inventive. It was again down to their keeper Andrea Cassar, who frustarted Floriana time and again with his sublime saves to avoid his side from further derision. Not for the first time this season,Hamrun collapsed to concede two goals from dead ball situations.

Floriana had three players absent from the side that beat  Sliema Wanderers the previous week. Tyrone Farrugia was suspended and Henrique Celestino played as centre back instead. Brooke Farrugia and Thomas Paris failed a fitness test. Floriana welcomed back Trevor Cilia after a long lay off and he gave a valid contribution during the 70 minutes of playing time. Duncan Pisani returned from suspension to fill the right back position.

Hamrun also had Gianluca Calabretta suspended and exiled Vitanov to the bench to give starts to David Camilleri and Bozhov. Zerafa started wide on the right flank with Ryan Spiteri in a more midfield central role behind forwards Bozhov and Terence Vella.

The match had a rather quiet start with both sides failing to hold to possession for long.

But it came to life midway througfh the half when a Cilia shot hit the arm of Yoshev, sparking claims for a penalty by the Floriana fans. On the half hour, Verma shot over after dispossessing Camilleri and then Coronado’s through ball, which Vergilov failed to intercept, fell to Mark Spiteri who shot over from the right.

That  heralded Floriana’s best patch as they soon broke the deadlock on 36 minutes. A Coronado corner from the left was headed in by Mark Spitreri, who won the aerial challenge with Grima.

Floriana remained firmly in command, with Hamrun’s flacid response coming from a Grima shot from a distance. With halftrime looming, Hamrun keeper Cassar saved Darmanin’s shot in two attempts.

Hamrun put in Christian Cassar for Camilleri for the secdond half to give some impetus to their toothless attack. But the Spartans were still struggling to provide the forwards with good service and Andrea Cassar remained the busier goalkeeper. He was twice called to save shots by Coronado and Cilia from a distance.

On 63 minutes, Floriana were menacing on the counter, when defending a Christian Cassar free kick for Hamrun. Cilia set Coronado going on the left, as Mark Spiteri advanced to meet the cross but was foiled by the onrushing Hamrun custodian.

Floriana were starting to bask in their superiority as they took a stranglehold in midfield. A Coroando shot went tantalisingly wide, before Cilia made way for Joseph Borg.

The final minutes turned out to be a shooting parcticed for Floriana with only keeper Cassar standing in their way. He fisted out a Pisani cross before Darmaninh could reach for the high ball nand then trurned Coronado’s menacing free kick from the right into a corner.

On 83 minutes Cassar again effected a point blank save on Darmanin on a Spiteri cross as Floriana were desperately in search of that assuring second goal.

That came three minutes from time, courtesy of a Ryan Darmanin header on Verma’s corner kick that rendered the keeper helpless.

It was more than Floriana deserved at the end.